Apparatus for producing perforated records for automatic piano-players.



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E. P. BALL. PYARATUS POR RODUCING PERE'ORATBD RECORDS POR AUOMATIC HAN() PLAYERS.

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Patented Get. 26, 1909.

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APPLIUATIO FILED 0019( 1907.

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H. P. BALL.

APPARATUSFGR PRODUGING PERORATED RECORDS FOR AUTOMATG PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLIDATION FILED 00T.9.19.07.

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' TTURNEY E P. 'BALL LFLRATS 760B. RODUGNG PER-YORTED RECORDS FR AUTOMAT G HANG' PLYERS.

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HENRY PRICE BALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO lSsffvU'ItL.II\l"S `'IlI1, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR -lROIl')UGING PERFORATED RECORDS FOR AUTOMATIC PIANO-PLAYERS.

Patentes oet. ce, ieee.

Application tiled October 9, 1907. 'Serial No. 396,642.v

To att whom it may concern:

Be itvknown that l, HENRY Pinon BALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented Apparatus for Frei lacing Perforated Records for Automatic Piano-Players, of which the following is a specification.

This invention' relates to apparatus for producing perforated records of a. performer on the piano, and for making copies of such records, the copies being intended for use in automatic piano playing instruments.

rThe invention consists of several distinct features, as follows First; Mechanism for making a record of a performance on the keyboard of a piano in the form of a perforated sheet of paper, which record when used in automatic piano players, will reproduce the same musical effect as was originally produced by .the performer at the time the record was made.

Second: lllechanism for actuating and controlling selecting devices to be thrown into engagen'ient witi mechanism actuating the punches for perfor-ating the paper.

. Third: Punch selecting devices and meel anism .for actuating the punches.

Fourth: Paper feedingniechanism, whereby' the portion of paper being punched will be moved intermittently during a ltontinuous forward feed of the paper.

Fifth Mechanisniwhereby holes will be punched in the paper atregular distances apart, corresponding to intervals of time during which the paper travels such distances. Mechanism actuating a metronome, and a maintaining device are also used in the operation of this feature of the invention. This feature provides means for malting a perforated record of a performance on the piano, which record is different in the musical result produced therefrom, from the origii-ial musical composition as played at. the time the record. was made. This feature -also provides the improvement whereby the performer is guided in his performance, so that certain,` of his idiosyncracies as to tempo do not reproduce in the record.

Sixth: Mechanism actuating leed rollers which effect travel of the master sheet, produced as above described, over au adjust able tracker-board, connected to pneumatic devices actuating selecting devices, which choose the punches to be actuated.

Seventh: Mechanism whereby the master sheet Will tra .fel over the tracker-board at such various speeds as to make the time of action of the responsive devices controlled by the perfor-ations of the master sheet, occur synchronously in time With the renovement of the mechanism of the perforating machine, the regularly spacev holes, previously referred to, being usedto actuate devices controlling the synchronizingr device.

Eighth: Manually operated means for changing the speed of shafts causing travel of the master sheet. This feature provides means whereby the master sheet having perforations therein, occurring at uniform periods of time, can be modified in the copies to perfora-tions of unequal spacing, in other Words, this feature consists in taking the master in which the notes have not been phrased, and providing means for producing copies fromsuch a master in which-notes are phrased, it being understood that phrasing consists in changing temporarily the tempo of the music, either to make it go gradually or quickly, slower or faster at certain places in the music.

Other details in the construction are shown `in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the entire apparatus; Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation on the line H*I of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a cross section, approximately on the line III- III of Fig. 2 3 Fig. 4 is a front View of a portion of the piano, showing attachments used in the operation of this invention; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line V-V of Fig. l, showing the mechanism used for punching and feeding the paper. Fig. 6 is a detail view of parts of the punch selecting mechanism; Fig. 7 Ais an elevation of the lmechanism used for punching and feeding the paper; Fig. 8 is a sectional plan View of the adjustable tracker-board. Fig. 9 is a sectionalfview on the line IX-IX of Fig. 8. Fig. l0 is a sectional View on the line X-X of Fig-8. Fig. llvis a sectional 'View onthe line XII-XI of Fig. l. Fig. 12 is a View showing' portions of the apparatus in section on the line XII-XIIl of Fig. l. Fig. 13 is a sectional plan view on the line XiTi-XXIX of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a sectional view of portions of the apparatus, showing punch LCI in number than the 'piano keys be admitted to chain iaohragu 33 actuating secondary valve 34.'

escasa to a omver meuinatic 44 and cause a eneil y i 1 a i lo to .De moved into engagement with the other margin of the paper 40. This will air will be admitted through ltube 1l to one' si le ot another diaphragm 30, actuating a primary val ve 31, causing a secondary valve Ell to be operated. This will cause air ex` hausting channel 36 to be placed in columnnication with a tube t6 connected to a power pneuu'iatie L17, and cause downward movement; of a rod 1.1?8 connecting said power pneumatic to a punch selecting lever Ll), held up by means of a spring 50. i

its the punchlselecting levers 4i) may be 2,' the valves and power pneumatics actuating said levers are also less in number, and the air inlet valvesll operating in response to piano keys 2 above the limited number are connected by .short tubes 51 toblocks in communication with correspondingtubes 14 connected to valves 15, operating in response lto keys 2 an octave below. l The air inlet valves 15 operating in response to piano keys 2 bcloiv the limited number, are connected by short tubes 51 to blocks in communicalion with corresponding tubes 14 connected to valves 15 operating in response to keys 2 an octave below. v

From blocks and valves 15 responsive 'to lieys 2 located aty the middle of the keyboard, the tubes 14 are carried through a boa: 53 on top of the piano, and connected to one of three nipples :14.- connnunicating with a chamber 55, on Aone side' of a perforated strainer plate Bti. rl`hc air admitted to tubes lai passing through the strainer plate 5G, is admitted to a chamber 57 on one side ot a diaphragm i`0,'actuating primary valve 31. When valve 3l is closed, ay valve 58, at

a chamb 59 to be placed in communication with air exhaust channel 3G. W'hen valve 31 is opened by the admission of air to one side et' diaphragm 30, chamber 5S) willy be shut of? from exhaust channel 36 by means of valve :'58, and valve 31 being open, air will i ber 5) on one side of is closed, avalve tit), attached 'e'a of valve 34, is janq causing air n'eitled through tutele 'lll to power tic s?. liihen valve 34 is opened by t le admission et air to chamber Si) on one e of diaphragm S3, valve 30 will be closed, tnbe will be placed in con'ununication la exhaust channel 3l?. Owing tothe size and number of primary and secondary valves retpiired, tour casings (il, containing said veuves and air exhausting channel 3G are attached to an air exhausting chamber 62, from which the air is exhausted through L tube (i3 -connectcdto an air pump (not shown). By means ot a bellows (34 actuating a valvetll, if the exhaust becomes too high in chamber (S2, said exhaust acting' against the force ot' spring G6 will cause the bellowsto collapse, and by opening a valve (35 admit air to chamber (32. lt' desired, the operator can kill the exhaust by releasing a plvoted valve (37 from a hook ($8, when air will be admitted to chamber (S2 through an opening (5S).

).lechanisml used yin combination with punch selecting levers 49, constitutes the second featureof the invention, Punch selecting lever l,l-) consists of two side plates having a pin at one end, to which ,springl 5() and rod l are connected. The opposite .en'tl ot' each of the side plates al) has aprojection 71 'fastened thereon which forms a t'nlcruni bearing in a platte 72, riveted to the main supporting plate, 73. At the center ot levcr side plates Lll) is placed au annular rotating cam 74, having aI bearing 75 on each side in side plates All). Cain 74 is actuated by a continumisly rotating shaft 76, extending through the center ot' the series ol cams. Shaft 76 is provided with tour teeth 77 running longitudinally thereof and placed 0() degrees apart'. The cam is annular in shape and has a tooth 7S pivotcd to it, extending toward the centen and adapted for engagement` with teeth 77 of sha 7G, when the cam is moved down and up by means ot lever 49. connected a spring 75l causing the tooth to move toward the center ot the cani.' The purpose ot' this is that it' the. cam tooth were to try to engage Ywith u tooth 77 of the shat't at the. time when the'tooth of the cam Was immediately over the tooth of the shalt, so that the cam tooth could noty get in front of the shalt tooth, the cam tooth would be vpushed baciato avoid jauuning or brealling any ou theqarts, .lhis is especially true it' the cam tooth were to engage the sha-lt tooth and not to do .so by its full overlapq but were to engage. at the corners of the teeth, louexample, without any lap, except just enough to make the cani travel, in

which event., if the tooth were not loosely Totooth 78 is angular travel ot' thc cam bf a little over 9() f degrees, for purposes lllrcinater specified.

Bell-crank 88 is pit'oted at Sie to lever L19, one arm of the bell-orali being held against cam 71 by means of a spring-S5. The other arm of bell-Crank SBis provided with n pivot 8G coupled with a hooi; 87 occupying a position approximately on a line with the axis of tnlci'uniV 71,01 lever 49,. By this means, vrpivot 84 of the hellranl; can licniovedxnp and doi-vnby lever 49 Without disturbing the hell-crank, for the reason that. the bell-crank can turn'on the pivot 80 While the lever l19 turns npon the pivot 71. Ab

v tached to hook 87 is a Wire SS conneoted'to a bell-crank 89,'fpivoted at 90 to a frame 91 supporting the plates 73. Bell-crank S) is connected hy a wire 92 to a hook 953, coupled to a lever Q4, pivoted at 95, actuating a punch selecting latch 90.

1n 27 the eam is'shonf'n having nst been pulled 'down oy the power pneumatic, causing` tooth' 78 to engage a shaft oth 77'. 1t will foe: seen 'that cani surfez-.e 81 is ing` upon a stop 97, und a shoulder 98 forniing part oi cam snrifaoe 82, is disengaged n 1' T i :from a yielding stop 99. in Fig. 28, tno cani is shown' as having ine" started in. its travei; lt will he seen that-.in l? 2S, nain surface has passed under the yielding stop 99', so that., if for any reason the poner pneumatic should become denergized a very short interval after it has actuated the cam, the cam will still continue in mot-ion for at least 300 degrees, inst prior to which time out away portion of eani serine-e S1 will allow it to move onward against a. stof) 100 to its initial position. nring this i f elution. of the cam, the Cani surface 80 Will permit the hell-crank arm 83 move toward the center of the Cani nd he moved ont again. This result o he ened and inaintsi n @noch meennnism in pewforating operation only. during the time the hell-(frank arin inofed townid Cl i the center. Stop: 07 and 100 are similar, and serve the double purpose oi? stops li le ing the up and oon n movement oi the com,

and :is bearing ttor the cani t rotate upon.

'The yielding` stop 09 consists of a lever pivot-ed nt 101 to plate and is made yielding. lijf means of a spring 10i li the earn is started .in motion and the power Fic. 32 Until the newer o 'niniatio rel es o1 f. 1 1t. 1n this oase the cani 30 wi Y. nerinit the hell-crank 83 to more towardthe center of the'oam and remain there as long as the com is stffttionnry. This resif in Wire being sleekened and maintaining, the

punch mechanism in perforating operation during thisf'tin'ie as hereinafter described. lll/hen the power pneumatic releases the cam, the tooth 78 Will engage the driving shaft, as shown .in Fig, 33. Cain surface 81 then comes in Contact with stop 100, and continues to hohl lever 49 vin the position shown in l'igt 33, until thefcnt. away portion permits it to be moved to 'the position shown in Fig. 31. Tooth 78 'will then be'disengaged 'from the tooth 7701 shaft 7 G, and the cani' Will remain in the position shown in Fig. 31, until it is again mfov'ed down by a power pneumatic. l/llhen' tooth 78"is disengaged' from the shaft tooth77,rotation of the cam is stopped by means of leverQQ, Which takes against shoulder of; eam surface 82. Spring' 102 takes he shook, permitting' 'lever 5.19 to yield and moving it hack to its normal .position against a pin'103.. A. similar yielding' stop 99 is provided for Cheekin'g the rotation of the cani when tooth 7 8 is disengaged from the sha-ft. tooth'76 at the end of the downward movement of the cam, as shown in Fig. 32.' f n .llate 7.23 stands" loetween the side plates o1 lever 119', and is a gnide and support for the side plates and teken in connection With the parts operating in combination With the cam, constitutes a unit, capable 0'1" removal, on withdrawing the driving shaft, disconnecting hook S7 from bell-crank 83, and disconnecting a hook 104, ,attached t0 rod at@ from. .lei/'er '.lhe upper and lower end oi each plete 73 is `iitted ,to slots`105 formed in plates 100 attached to frame 91. The plates 73 are held. in place by means of screws 107.

ln some instances Where it is desirable to a great i length. oit time to elapse beween successive recorded perorations, leans may proifided whereby the shaftI can rotate at a slower speed. @if on the ,me sliaigt we een have two teeth vinstead o inalii e ont 108, of opposite teeth 7'? at 5, andby shifting the shaft longitudinally a short distance, bring the tifo teeth or tour teeth into engagement with the cani teeth.

Toothed shaft 7G is mounted at-.each end in hearings 109, forming part oit frame 91, and between a herir' it', 109 and an outer liiearing 110, isa drive pulley 111 and a' gear wheel 112 secured to shaft 76. By loosening the holte 113, shaft 76 can loe moved longitudinally a distance determined 'oy the width oi' a bushing 111,and the bolts 113 can then he tightened to fasten drive pulley 111 and rear wheel 112 to the shaft. ',lfhe end of provided with o'portifon 115 of y diameter than the shaft, and bushing 

